Taiwan is poised to usher in a new president, and his initial moments in the role could set the tone for the next four years of US-China relations.

FILE PHOTO: A demonstrator holds flags of Taiwan and the United States in support of Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-wen during an stop-over after her visit to Latin America in Burlingame, California, U.S., January 14, 2017. REUTERS/Stephen Lam/File Photo

Paraguay's President Santiago Pena will attend the inauguration of Taiwan's new leader, a high-ranking government official said Thursday, making him the first head of state to confirm his presence at the ceremony.

The US will send a delegation of former government officials to Taiwan for the inauguration of President-elect Lai Ching-te, casting the visit as keeping with longstanding practice in an effort to manage tensions between the self-governing island and China.

China's Taiwan Affairs Office said on Monday it was Taiwan's ruling party's fault the island could not attend the WHA given what it called a "lack of a political basis". Taiwan's